Gilligan lays retirement path with assistant promotion

Published 12:00 am, Thursday, June 24, 2010

Even after 33 seasons on the job, Lamar University baseball coach Jim Gilligan is having too much fun to think about retiring. That doesn't mean he hasn't thought about the team's future.

Gilligan appeared to lay the path for retirement by naming longtime assistant coach Jim Ricklefsen as the team's associate head coach. The university announced the title change Thursday, and the move appears to put Ricklefsen in line to be the team's next head coach.

"If I gave it up tomorrow, Jimmy would be the obvious guy," Gilligan said of Ricklefsen, who recently ended his 13th season as a Lamar assistant. "He's been involved in this program for so long, I can't see why they would consider this for anyone else."

Ricklefsen, 47, has served as the team's recruiting coordinator, making him responsible for many of the players signed to play for Lamar. He also coaches third base, the infielders and hitters. Ricklefsen has three seasons of head coaching experience, all at McNeese State.

"He's already done so much of the work a head coach does," Gilligan said. "In my mind, I already consider him an associate head coach."

Gilligan said he talked with university president Jimmy Simmons and then-athletic director Billy Tubbs about giving Ricklefsen the new title about three months ago. Gilligan told Ricklefsen the news last week in Ricklefsen's office, Ricklefsen said.

Although Ricklefsen would relish the chance to be Lamar's head coach, he does not expect Gilligan to leave soon.

"You should have watched him work with the campers this week," Ricklefsen said of Gilligan, who completed three weeks of annual baseball camps for children Thursday at Vincent-Beck Stadium. "I'm serious about this, you won't find many head coaches put in the camp time he puts in. His name is on that shirt, but if you go to all these other camps around the country, (the head coach will) maybe show up the first day (and) shake hands the last day for pictures or whatever.

"But (Gilligan is) out there giving instruction and working. I judge that a lot to see how much energy he's still putting in. He's got a ways. How long? I don't know. He doesn't know. I guarantee you he doesn't know."

Gilligan said he will coach for as long as he is having fun and is healthy.

"One thing about coaching is being around kids, and being around kids keeps you healthy, unless you're losing," the 63-year-old Gilligan said. "I don't plan to do that for a long time."

Lamar recently completed a season in which it returned to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2004. The Cardinals struggled for much of the season and placed sixth in the Southland Conference. A four-game conference tournament sweep, however, gave LU the league championship and put it in the national tournament. Lamar should return seven starting position players and two starting pitchers in 2011.

Gilligan hired Ricklefsen after the 1997 season. Ricklefsen had coached 11 seasons at McNeese State, the last three as head coach. He coached the Cowboys to an 81-79 record over those seasons. McNeese won 41 games in his first season as head coach but floundered the next two.

Still on Lamar's coaching staff is assistant Scotty Hatten. Hatten, 39, recently finished his 10th season as a Lamar assistant. He coaches first base and the outfielders and manages the baseball facilities.

Gilligan credited his coaching staff for the team's continued success.

"We're extremely lucky to have both the coaches we have," Gilligan said. "In Jimmy and Scotty, you have two guys dedicated to the program. There are jobs most guys would run after, but they bleed red and white."